Les Bowen

STAFF WRITER

Les Bowen has covered the Eagles since 2002. Before that, he covered the Flyers for 13 years. He came to the Daily News from the Charlotte Observer in May 1983, just as the Sixers were winning the NBA championship. He thought, "Gosh, this sort of thing must happen all the time here."

Ravens coach John Harbaugh knows Brian Westbrook well from Harbaugh's years with the Eagles. Harbaugh told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine Saturday that he thinks Westbrook has mileage left, and that the Ravens will be interested in signing him, when Westbrook's release becomes official on Friday.

"To me, Brian Westbrook definitely has a lot left," Harbaugh said. "I think probably the Eagles know that and everybody else knows it. He's going to have plenty of opportunities to play ... We'd be interested in Brian Westbrook; I guess I can say that, he's free.We'll just have to see what happens."

Earlier, Harbaugh said he had no thoughts on the Eagles' quarterbacking situation, other than that he trusts Andy Reid will do whatever is right for the Birds.

Harbaugh, desperate for wideout help, also expressed interest in former Eagle Terrell Owens. "We're interested in all the guys that can make our team better," Harbaugh said. He said he recalled T.O. as "a good guy and a good player" who was "respectful of the coaches and worked hard."

It's unclear if Harbaugh has suffered some sort of terrible injury to the part of his brain that controls the memory, or if he really is that bad off for somebody who can catch the ball. While he's in Indy, Harbs might want to brush up with Brad Childress on that "respectful of the coaches" business. Or, perhaps when Owens ordered Childress not to speak to him, he did it with the utmost respect.

New Cleveland GM Tom Heckert, who just left the Eagles' organization last month, didn't want to talk about the Birds' QBs or about Westbrook.

"I'd rather not say," Heckert said, when asked if he had spoken with the Eagles about any of their three quarterbacks. "I can't talk about guys under contract ... I don't have any idea what they're going to do. I really don't."

" Brian's a really good football player," Heckert said, when asked about Westbrook. Then he invoked the "under contract" argument, even though the Eagles have announced Westbrook is being released and have given his agent, Todd France, permission to speak with other teams.

"I didn't ask for permission," Heckert said, in explaining his reluctance to speak.

Earlier, Heckert was asked if he thought Kevin Kolb was ready to be a starting NFL quarterback.

Heckert said he will have total personnel control in his new job, under team president Mike Holmgren.

"Coach Holmgren's going to be the voice of the team, and I think he's going to leave all the personnel stuff up to me," Heckert said. He said he will be involved in talking to agents about contracts, something Heckert didn't really do in Philadelphia.